One Giant Leap

by Keith Martin

  They fell madly in love.

  They were always together while in class or studying. When away from college they were hardly ever found apart. Their friends called them The Siamese Twins.

  At the end of the semester Rick was ordered back to active duty onboard the USS Endeavor, the largest Aircraft Carrier of its time. He was heading for the Med; terrorists were tearing up things in that region… again. This was a minimum six-month duty, at least, he asked her to take him to the dock when his ship was ready to leave. He wanted to be with her every second he had on shore.

  She gave him no choice in the matter, sticking to him like glue; she was creating memories that would never be forgotten.

  * * *

  They spent the last night on his boat and she drove him down to the base as the sun rose on another perfect California day. She walked with him to the gangplank vowing not to be sad because they were both professionals; being separated would be part of their lives at times. Yet …she was growing lonelier for him with each step they took down the dock.

  Rick was in his dress whites amidst a sea of navy officers, also parting with their loved ones. This was the moment he took the chance. “I’m not going to lose you while I’m gone, I love you Shianne with all my heart, so I guess you’re going to have to marry me?” He held a ring out for her on his pinky finger.

  She screamed “Yes” so loud that everyone around them stopped. Then a cheer rose up from his shipmates on the dock. The departing personnel numbered seventy five hundred strong and Rick was their star pilot. Just how large a family she was taking on? As least twenty officers kissed her wishing them well. Their wives gave her their numbers, so they could fill her in on what it was to be the wife of a warrior. They all made her feel a part of the family. She realized right then her life was now going to be as one of the extended family members of the United States Navy.

  She was happy and thought that her life was set. She wondered how a rocket scientist and a fighter pilot would find time to have a family. But she didn’t care, it was going to work out, she knew it, there was no way a love so strong could fail.

  * * *

  On a mission over some long lonely valley of sun bleached sand in some untold of country; a small caliber bullet parted his hydraulic line as he skimmed the deck to keep out of enemy radar. Just a small boy out herding his fathers’ goats, taking pot shots at American fighters as they flashed by at close to a thousand miles an hour.

  He was tired of them scattering his flock. The old AK-47 his father gave him dumped a magazine in seconds. He used it to defend the flock from wolves and the armor piercing rounds did their work.

  He could see the rounds impacting the jet as it flashed by just like his father told him he would. He waited until the last moment then simply fired a full length of the aircraft in front of the target and it worked just as his father had vowed.

  Except for one thing; there was no downed jet to show for the spent rounds and the flock was scattered to the wind and if he didn’t get them back together before sunrise it would be his hide.

  She was told that his fighter came in damaged by enemy ground fire. His fighter came in just a few feet low, and the fantail of the USS Endeavor claimed one more good man.

  His mother tried to give Shianne the flag that was draped over his coffin when he was put to rest at Arlington. Shianne refused to separate it from his mother knowing how much it would mean to her as the years passed by. She spent the rest of the day with his family and cried for hours at his home as they talked of the little things he would do to make them smile.

  * * *

  As the sun set there was a knock at the door and Shianne opened it as she passed by. “You still have good timing I see Shinny Baby!” Her father greeted her. “I brought you a shoulder and a ride home. Are you ready?” He felt he had given them enough time to heal with his daughter and it was now time to get her home so she could do some healing of her own.

  He was there at Arlington to witness the boy laid to rest. He knew once Shianne laid eyes on him she would not have the power to be with Ricks’ family, as she needed to be. She would seek his comfort and they needed her to give them her comfort first. So he stood at the back, tall and proud for one who gave his life for us all. His tears flowed for a lost son, though time was fleeting in their relationship, a foundation was poured and he felt this loss for what it truly was.

  The airport limo took Otto to the service, afterward the driver took him sight seeing and found lunch as Otto gave her the time she needed. He scheduled the return trip for 11pm and it was time to get moving home.

  Her life was totally crushed and she felt as if she could just will herself to die. Nothing could stop her from flying into his arms to pour out her anguish. She knew he was close all day but knew she was being given time to be with Ricks’ family. She did need it and she was glad for the time she spent with then. But now she was unable to let go of the anchor she needed and they were on her way home.

  She spent the summer with her father on the ranch healing. She really didn’t have a choice; she had to feel his love to heal. Knowing she was safe in her fathers’ arms from the pain that was consuming her heart she made it through every day. He held her until she cried it out as best she could. She knew that the pain would never end. She woke in her Dads strong arms more than a few times that summer. He told her it was ok to hurt …like his love for mom. “You just get used to it, then get on with life.”

  For the first time she asked him why he never remarried? “I am married… to your mother. Even if I were to fall in love again I don’t think a marriage is in my future.”

  “You are a good looking man Dad, in good shape. You have a great ranch and lots of cash in the bank… you could have a blond, a brunette and a little china doll running around here breeding Chisholm babies like cordwood?” She teased him. “You could sell them at a fruit stand at the end of the driveway in the fall.” She was on a roll.

  “You think three would be enough to keep up with me?” He shot back without a second’s pause, his chest puffing up playfully. “Who would feed the stock?” He just got on a roll. “You would have to call before coming over to visit so we could get dressed!” “Do you really think there are three women willing to put up with me?”

  At this point she took it upon herself to defend the women of Earth. “NO!” With that, ran off to feed the stock. Knowing better then to stay within his reach until she had paid her dues. He was a man that knew how to tickle her but good and would.

  * * *

  In the fall college started again and though it was hard, she got on with her life. Dad helped a lot by teasing to throw her out on her ear if she didn’t find something to do with her time. The smile slowly came back on her face. She dated, but it was nothing real. They were just friends who helped her spend some free time away from campus, nothing more.

  * * *

  She finished eight years of college in just five. The shining star of U.C.L.A. that year’s graduation punctuated by the Governor himself awarding her diploma, and telling of her abilities, with the hope and trust he personally had in her. “As Shianne helps mankind fly deeper into space, we will all be with her as she carries our hopes and dreams with her.” His words were followed by a standing ovation as she accepted her diploma.

  Standing at the podium waiting for the student body to retake their seats, she waved to friends like a happy child. Eighteen years she studied reaching this point and here she was. “I have had a great college life here at U.C.L.A. Here on this campus I have learned to reach higher for my dreams, and I found the tools here to make dreams come true. I will never forget my time here. Staff has shown me the path to enlightenment, and the student body that showed me the path to adventures that…we are not talking of ever again. What is played at U.C.L.A. stays at U.C.L.A!” Her words had everyone on their feet again.

  Then she did something her father just couldn’t believe. “Now everyone, it’s camping at the Chisholm ranch for the week, brin
g your own everything. We have the BBQ to handle the rest.” Her words rang out in invitation.

  Otto stood with camera in hand recording her every move; his pride in her on this day was so high he wanted to record it all. He recorded this invitation for all time. He couldn’t believe what just came out of her mouth in front of several thousand students. He knew what this was going to do.

  First Shianne gathered them all at her dorm for the drive out to the ranch. A flood of partiers filling the parking lot turned into a line of follower’s miles long and ready to party headed for the ranch.

  A call to the neighbors had the livestock turned out to their pastures and bonfires set before they arrived. Otto knew that it would take the whole valley to feed this small city that was showing up at his place.

  He met the band before departing U.C.L.A. They had questions about power supplies, a stage, lighting and a place to keep their beer ice cold. He assured them all would be ready for them and he made sure he would have the help he needed to help Shianne pull this massive graduation party off.

  As Otto pulled into his own driveway he spotted pit fires burning and whole steers on the spit roasting to feed the arriving masses. Once again proving his neighbors had his back no matter what happened.

  In two days there was a small city of campers at the ranch, and there was a non-stop graduation bash happening all across the property. Every morning every egg in the county was trucked in for breakfast. Dozens of pigs had to give their lives for the bacon. Lets not talk about fried chicken night at the ranch.

  Baseball, softball, soccer, fishing, hunting, hiking, swimming, dances, foot races. The week was filled from dawn to midnight with things to do. Otto was amazed that so much beer could be swilled so quickly while all these young men acted like fools and no one got hurt... much.

  Otto took control of this happening from the gate and he soon had a hundred volunteers helping to keep it all rolling smoothly. Wood was gathered and cut for the fires, Meals prepared and cleaned up after, games organized and held with all manors of prizes to the winners.

  The crew even started each day with a massive trash walk by all in attendance.

  It took two weeks to say goodbyes and get the ranch back to a normal schedule. It took Shianne and Joshua three days with the help of the ranch crew and a crew of twenty of Shianne’s friends that stayed behind to clean the ranch to the point where only bent grass was left behind.

  Her father didn’t mind at all, after all he now had hundreds of photos of her and her friends acting like fools and having a blast. Ammo for when they all grew up and had children of their own. Otto knew many of those at this gathering would become life long friends and co-workers of Shianne’s. He loved knowing he was ready when the time came to remind these children just whom they were when they were young.

  The private sector was falling over itself trying to recruit her for more than a year before she even finished her schooling.

  It was the Grumman Corporation that bested all other offers. Shianne was given a free hand to do research into whatever she wanted. She took on an advanced Trigonometry course just to stay on top of the learning curve while she continued her work on making the space program fly faster and with less fuel than ever before.

  At first her work was adapted to the aircraft of the U.S. military. Mach ten was reached within a year of her graduation. Her redesigned turbofan engines used less fuel at Mach ten than it would take a fighter to cruse at five hundred miles per hour. Her designs made the United States the most powerful military force on the planet. Making it possible for its fighters to reach any country on the planet without in-flight refueling. Her systems made it possible for bases around the globe to be closed and the forces moved back to U.S. soil. There was no longer a need for forward operating bases used to defend N.A.T.O. forces. If the might of the United States was needed anywhere on the planet, it would arrive within a few hours with full loads of armament ready to do battle, and have plenty of fuel for the return flight home.

  Her dreams where filled with this new propulsion system. She knew it was something needing perfecting. Dad had told her the trick was to bring the whole dream to the drawing board once one woke. It was staying with her, she was making it happen, but there were still holes in the dream. Filling those holes caused her to redesign the thrusters for the space shuttles and delivery rockets; this kept this country at the head of the space flight industries.

  * * *

  Shianne’s sister, Ashley finished her Doctoral Dissertation in Biophysics at Cal State. Like her siblings, she was top of her class and graduated early. Most major pharmaceutical companies were recruiting her before she’d finished her third year; she took her pick of careers after graduating two full years early.

  Just short of six foot tall, big blue eyes, long blonde hair and a slim hundred thirty pounds. Her stunning looks could work magic on anyone she came in contact with. Dad would say that his girls where twins, one tall and one small. “You two are a team that can change the world, with a brother to back your play, nothing can stop the three of you standing together… nothing.”

  Dad gave them all his sky blue eyes and the need to learn. To be the best at whatever they tried to do and to never quit. He also taught them how to think outside the box, to create, to invent, to make new if the old wouldn’t do.

  After losing mom, his life became the ranch and the kids. He sold some old family desert land deep with gray clay to a large cement company. The checks would roll into the family’s accounts for 50 years at least and money was just no longer an issue for him. So he devoted his life to his children and raised them like normal country children should be... with a few extra adventures thrown in to help teach them just how amazing life was in America.

  * * *

  It started to really click for her after the whole family got together at the ranch for the first time in months, it was Christmas and they all gathered for the holiday. Everyone promised to be there when Joshua declared. “If I can get there from the Moon, then you girls can get there too.” His words made the sisters determined to be there for the family. It was good to just be together again, the four of them working on chores around the ranch and just being a family. For five days they spent every waking hour together, they were the Chisholm gang again.

  * * *

  Shianne told them all about her dreams and how it was so clear after she woke. Ashley replied intently “If it’s that clear, it’s not just dreams. You’re being guided by a higher power to find these answers. There must be a reason for it; the ship is really needed for something. You just don’t know what that need is yet. So go with it one hundred and ten percent, don’t let up until you’ve found the answers you need. Its warp drive Scotty.” Everyone laughed.

  Ashley was right on the money. Shianne knew this was more then just a dream. She could feel the weight of the future calling for her designs to be ready.

  As they said their goodbyes out by the cars, the three of them gave their dad a group hug. He looked as if he could use one. His flock was all flying off at once.

  Tears were welling as they parted; he looked into Shianne’s eyes and asked off handedly. “So, how do you collect the photons for this thing to use?”

  How he did that, she did not know. It was as if he could see her problems and smack her in the head with the... ‘Don’t be stupid stick’. She was looking for a way to produce the protons. She didn’t have to bring the photons with the ship, there was an endless supply of them floating freely in space waiting to be captured and used. It was a void filled with massive amounts of free energy waiting for a way to release their power.

  “Daddy I love you so much.” Shianne stopped and hugged him again.

  “What Little One? What did I say?” He responded innocently. He was no fool; he knew he was planting the seeds she needed. Even though he truly had no idea what he said would change a thing for her, he was simply asking a question to get his mind wrapped around it.

  Joshua winked at Ashley
and commented wryly. “He did it again, didn’t he?”

  “Look in her eyes Josh, Dad put out the smoke by lighting the fire.” She turned to her sister. “See it clearly now sis?”

  “We must keep our Old Man in the loop… it’s like having a backup plan that always works.” She kissed her father’s cheek once more, punched Joshua in the guts then hugged them both. With that done, they took to their cars and got on their way.

  Otto stood in the driveway watching his flock fly off. There was no way he could be prouder of them. As they started up the rise of the hill south of the ranch, his mind drifted to their mother. “Thanks for making me the luckiest man in the world Sweetheart; I wish you could see them now.” He twisted the ring still in place where his wife had placed it. Tears streamed down his face, he didn’t wipe them away, they where for her “I still love you Babe.” He said to her out loud as he turned for the barn, it was feeding time, his pain wouldn’t stop the livestock from needing tending.

  No one knew as they drove away, it would be many years before the family was again together in one place. Joshua was taking a load of supplies up to S.M.B. on a normal supply run eighteen months later as Shianne sat in the park watching baseball enjoying her lunch. This run had become routine for him over the past few years. The base was now quite large, housing close to three hundred fifty personnel. There was a field full of modular component’s awaiting delivery at Edwards Air Force base. His mission was to keep the supplies flowing to the Moon quickly and to get all the needed living compartments delivered so they could fully man the base.